Key-locking mechanism for voting-machines.



PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

KEY LOOKING MECHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR A TTORNEY.

' WITNESSES.-

No. 857,811. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

' W. J. LAUSTERER.

KEY LOGKING MEGHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER, OF JAMESTOVVN, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO U. S. STANDARD VOTINGMAOHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

KEY-LOCKINGYMECHANISM FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Patented. June 25,1907.

Application filed Janua vZ, 1906. $er'ra1 No; 294,068.

. morals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to voting machines of the class embodying straight. ticket mechanism for moving simultaneously to voted position the indicators orkeys devoted to candidates of thesame political party, and has for its objects to provide mechanism for locking the indicators or keys as soon as the movement of the operating mechanism of the machine commences, 'wl iereby not only is unlawful voting prevented, but the parts of the machine are so looked as to prevent the breakage of any of the parts. This result is accbmplished best .by locking the straight ticket indicating mechanism, and inthe present embodiment of my invention I prefer to apply it to the type of machine shown in certain pending applications filed 'by A. J. Gillespie andothers, in which the registers and indicators are moved relatively to operate the registers whose indicators are left in voted posit1on. n

The invention further consists in certain combinations and arran ements of parts, all as will be fully describe the novel features, being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

4 In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a portion of the front plate of the voting machine provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical soctional view on the line 03 m.

Similar reference numerals in the figures indicate similar parts. I

The individual candidate keys, the registers and operating mechanism therefor are of the general type shown in the patent to Gillespie, No. 799,556, for register or counter, said indicator being pivotally mountedon the front plate lprovided with the segmental arms 2 in rear of which are the abutments 3,

said arms and abutments being adapted to cooperate with the actuator or pallet bar 5 of the register 6 mounted in the register frame 7 which is moved toward and from the front plate of the machine bysuitable operatin means such, for instance, as levers 8 pivoted to the main casing and having pins 9 operating in slots 10 formed in the sides of the frame. I

-12 indicates straight ticket bars extending beneath the indicators being devoted to can-.

didates for the same political party, said bars being suspended upon links or cranks 13 one of, which constitutes the operating lever. The ends of these straight tickets bars 12 are beveled and are adapted to cooperate with abutments or rollers 14 mounted upon a vertically movable universal bar 15, the parts being so arranged that upon the operation of any of, the straight ticket bars said universal bar will be moved vertically. This universal bar may or may not control other operating parts of the machine, but for the pur oses of the present invention it is sufiicient t at it is re uired to be moved by any of the straight tic et bars. is provided with a serrated surface 17 Whichis adapted to engage a locking pawl or detent 18 pivoted at 16 and adapted to be swung into vided a pin 22 uponwhich are loosely ivoted two links, 23 and 24, the former exten ing-diagonally downward and having its lower-portion guided upon a stationary pin 26 and The upper portion of this balk.

the link 24 being pivoted'to the inner end of thelever 25 pivoted upon the pin 26 and having its outer end rojecting a.dis-' tance above the end of the ink 23. The detent or pawl 18 is adaptedto engage and lock the universal bar and thestraight ticket bars also at all times after the movement of the register frame mechani'smtoward the indicators has commenced and said pawls should.

ister actuator might bend the latter and break or disarrange the mechanism. The pro er release of the pawl or detent is accomplis ed by providing upon the vertically movable bar 19, connected to the register frame-actuating lever 8, the sto s or rojections 20. and 21, the former is a apte to engage the lever to lift the pawl out of engagement when the rod is depressed, but at this time the straight ticket ke s and the individual candidate keys are al held locked by the main resetting bar'of the machine which cooperates with the interlocking straps 30, said resetting bar being connected to or operated by the bar 19, and while the machine -1s in that condition the straight ticket key cannot be operated, although the pawl is out of en agement. The unlocking of the universa bar 15 is secured at this moment for the purpose of ermitting its operation to release other locliing mechanisms of the machine, which are controlled by said bar, but specific description is unnecessary herein. The stud or projection '21 on the bar 19 is adapted when the bar is raised to engage with the lower end of the link 23 to lift the pawl out of engagement, when the keys can e moved to voted position in the proper manner and by the operation of the straight ticket keys or indicators, but as soon as the operating mechanism of the register frame starts to move, this lug 21 moves out of contact with said link, drop ing the pawl and this engaging the universa bar, as described, prevents the operation of any of the straight ticket indicators or keys until the operation 'is completed. The rack 17 on the universal o erable to voted position without actuating t e registers and means for actuating the registers whose indicatorsare in voted position, of operating devices for the several series of indicators and means for locking all said operating devices during the movement of the register actuating means. i

2. In a voting machine, the combination with a, plurality of series of registers, a plurality of series of ballot indicators therefor, olperableto voted POSilZiOIl Wl'tllOlll) actuating t eir registers and means for actuating the registers whose indicators are left in voted position, of an operating device-for each of the several series of indicators and automatic locking means for securing the said operating devices during the movement of the register actuating means an (1 controlled by the latter to release said devices when in one position.

. 3. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of series of registers, a plurality of series of ballot indicators therefor, operable to voted position without actuating their registers and means for actuating the registers whose indicators are left in voted position, of an operating device for each of the several series of indicators, an automatic locking device'for securing said operating devices with which the register actuating device cooperates to release said operating devices when in one position.

4. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of series of individual candidate indicators, a corresponding plurality of series of registers, straight ticket voting devices for operating the indicators of each.

series and actuating devicesfor the machine, of devices for locking the straight ticket op erating devices and means for releasing said locking device when the actuating device is in one position.

5. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of series of separately operable candidate indicators, a plurality of series of registers, means for operating the diilerent series of indicators and means for actuating the registers whose indicators are left in voted position, of means for locking the series-opcrating devices during the movement of the actuating means.

6. In a voting machine, the. combination with the actuating mechanisms, pluralities of series of indicators and registers, means for operating the series of indicators separately and-a member operable by any of said series operating devices, of locking devices for securing said member from operation controlled by the actuating mechanism of the machine.

7. Ina voting machine, the combination with a plurality of candidate voting mechanism, straight ticket mechanism and an actuat ing mechanism for the machine, of a lock for said'straight ticket mechanism adapted to be released by the actuating mechanism when in one position.

. 8. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of candidate voting mechanisms, a plurality of straight ticket voting mechanisms and actuating mechanism for the machine, of a member operable-by any of the straight ticket mechanisms, an automatic lock therefor and releasing mechanism operable by the actuating mechanism.

;9. In a voting machine, the combination with the straight ticket bars, and the. universal bar operable by the latter, of an actuating mechanism for the machine, a pawl for securing the universal bar and connections between said pawl and the actuating mechan:

ism for holding it out of action when the 510- l with the universal bar and the automatic tuating mechanism is in two diflerent pesil locking pawl cooperating therewith, the links tions. cooperating with the pawl and the lever con- 1.0. In a voting machine, the combination neeted to one of them, of the reciprocatory 5 with the straight ticket bars, the universal l bar having stops thereon cooperating with bar operated by the latter and the automatic the link and lever to release the pawl at the locking pawl, of the rreciprooatory bar and extremes of movement.

connections between it and the pawl for re- WILLIAM J LAUSTERER. leasing the latter when at its extremes of Witnesses: 1O movement. ALEXANDER Gonormos,

11. In a voting machine, the combination HENRY H. CHAsE. 

